Finding housing in Stockholm: some alternative options

With the notification of admissions results approaching quickly, I want to add my thoughts to some recent posts about finding housing that is appropriate for students here in Stockholm. If you decide to accept your offer of admission to KI, I advise you to start looking for housing right away because this is the most difficult part of coming to KI. Here is a breakdown of some different ways that you can find housing:

Option 1: Student housing
This is the option about which the other bloggers have written most extensively, so I advise you to read these great posts by Preethi, Andrew, and Ian. I would only emphasize that you should sign up on the SSSB website straight away and that you do not need to be a member of the student union or have a personal number to do so (though you need to join the student union within six months of signing up). Also sign up for KI Housing as soon as possible. Some students I met at orientation told me that they had success calling KI Housing at the end of the summer, so this may be an option for you if you haven’t found anything by then.

Option 2: Websites
You have probably already heard about blocket, but I want to add that you should really write your own advertisement on the website, ideally in Swedish. Another great option is Bostad Direkt. Although you need to pay a fee to use this website, it can be a worthwhile investment because it means that both those offering accommodation and those looking for it are serious, and you are less likely to be scammed. If you find nothing at all, you can find short-term accommodation using reliable websites like airbnb and VRBO (this is what my husband and I did for August before we moved into our current apartment in September). Finally, you may want to think outside the box when it comes to finding accommodation. Most people are familiar with the website Couchsurfing, but one of my classmates actually managed to find a permanent living situation through the Couchsurfing community.Community living situation in the photos above found through Couchsurfing

Option 3: Word of mouthBecause I came to Stockholm with my partner, I knew that student housing would likely not yield anything for us, and some of you prospective students will be in the same situation. The strategy that we followed was to tell every person we knew about our situation. We got really lucky because our friend’s friend was moving to Stockholm with his wife, and since she is originally from Stockholm, she was able to find an apartment through her friends. They offered to share the apartment with us, and the rest is history! Looking at my fellow students’ situations, I think it is very common for people to share flats if they do not get student housing because it makes rent affordable in this very expensive housing market. Another example of a classmate in this situation is my friend who found her apartment through Facebook. So don’t be afraid to use your network when it comes to finding affordable housing here in Stockholm, and good luck with your search!My classmate’s lovely shared flat in the city centerOur comfortable shared flat south of Södermalm

Great post! I second your stips on posting your own “Looking for…” ad on Blocket. That is according to me one of the best kept secrets to finding housing in Sweden. Make sure to put in some effort to make your ad look REALLY good though 🙂